Movie review: Little Fockers

Thursday

The only thing worse than an unnecessary sequel is an unnecessary comedy sequel. The laughs almost always diminish.

The only thing worse than an unnecessary sequel is an unnecessary comedy sequel. The laughs almost always diminish.

So six years after the hardly funny "Meet the Fockers," we get another go-round? Are you Focking kidding me?

Now a father of two, Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) is still a male nurse, though he's in a more administrative role. His overbearing father-in-law Jack Byrnes (Robert De Niro) has warmed to Greg over the years, if only a little.

After his other daughter's divorce, Jack realizes he must look for a new successor as family patriarch.

It's not like there aren't some harmless laughs to be had here. This movie isn't Sandler-bad, but given the talents involved that's still a pretty big failure.

Despite the title, there's not a whole lot of the grandkids here, apart from a few gags left over from the "Cheaper by the Dozen" series.

No, it's mostly more unfortunate comedic misunderstandings between Stiller and De Niro. We've seen it before, and it's getting less funny.

The bright spot is a returning (and underused) Dustin Hoffman, as well as Owen Wilson reprising his role as an overachieving ex-boyfriend.